Method of manufacturing a toy animal



March 23, 1965 w nv 3,174,253

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A TOY ANIMAL Filed June 28, 1962 VENETA R. WHITE BY ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,174,253 METHOD OF lidANUFATUR1NG A TOY ANIMAL Veneta R. White, Roch Island, Ill. (1922 Town St, Davenport, Iowa) Filed dune 28, 1962, Ser. No. 205,282 1 Claim. (Cl. 46-156) This invention relates to a model animal which may be used for decorative purposes or as a toy.

One object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive method of manufacturing a model animal with readily available materials and without the need of elaborately out forms or complicated wire supports.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the principles of the invention has been selected for exemplification.

The invention will be discussed in reference to the construction of a Pekingese-type dog, with the understanding that the basic construction may be used by a person skilled in the art to make practically any desired model animal.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a pattern for the base,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a stuffed base,

FIG. 3 is a top view of the materials for a stufied head,

FIG. 4 is a front view of a stufied head,

FIG. 5 is a side view of the base and attached head,

FIG. 6 is a top view of the base and head showing how first and second groups of strands may be added to the base,

FIGS. 7 and 8 are views showing a preferred construction for a third group of strands,

FIG. 9 is a side view of the base and head showing the initial step of a preferred manner of securing the third group of strands to the base and/or head,

FIG. 10 is a front view of the completed Pekingesetype model dog, and

FIG. 11 is a top view of the completed Pekingese-type model dog.

The preferred unit on which the model animal 19 is constructed consists of an elongated prism-like body or base 29 having a top or raised portion 26a, a bottom 29b, and a front portion 2 90. The shape of the base is not critical, but will depend upon the kind and shape of animal to be portrayed. Any shape over which the groups of strands may realistically drape is suitable. A head member 21 is secured to the front portion 200 of the base 29 to simulate the animals head and, with the base 20, form the animals neck 21a. Depending on the particular animal, the shape of the head member 21 may be generally spherical, oblong, prism-like, or any other desired shape. Both the base 29 and the head 21 may conveniently be made from covers of muslin or other material stuffed with cotton batting or any other available stufiing.

As shown in FIG. 1, a preferable base cover pattern 22 for a model animal 19 having a relatively long body is essentially rectangular or square in shape, but has two triangular tabs 31 and 32 formed on opposite sides thereof. These tabs will eventually form the end surfaces of the base. To illustrate, for a typical Pekingese-type toy the rectangular portion of the pattern 22 is approximately seven inches by eight inches, and the tabs 31 and 32 are approximately two and one-half inch equilateral triangles cut and centered on longer sides of the rectangle. These dimensions and all dimensions and specifications given herein are illustrative only, and, of course, do not limit the scope of the invention. After the pattern 22 is cut, edge 23 is sewn to edge 24, edge 25 to edge 26, edge 3,174,253 Patented Mar. 23, 1965 "ice 27 to edge 28, and edge 29 to edge 36, leaving the top edges 34 and 35 temporarily unsewn. A piece of cardboard or other flat stiff material 33 may be placed within the pattern 22 at the bottom 20b of the pattern to furnish a sturdy level support for the finished animal. Such support may also be afiixed to the exterior of the bottom of the pattern 22 by stitching, adhesive material, or other appropriate means. Once the cardboard or other material 33 is in place, the pattern is filled with cotton batting or the like and edge 34 is sewn to edge 35.

Other bases which do not require covers may be used in place of the stuffed base 20 just described. One such base may consist of bunched or folded rags tied or taped together to form the desired base. Other such bases may consist of formed plastic, rubber or similar material. These bases may be provided with covers, if desired, to facilitate the attachment of strands as later described.

A stuffed head 21 may be made from a piece of muslin or other cloth 36 wrapped over a wad or ball 37 of cotton batting or other stuffing material. For a Pekingesetype dog the size of the cloth 36 may be about five by siX inches, depending upon the size desired for the head. The cloth 36 is Wrapped around the ball 37 and is sewn along line 38. A substantial fringe 39 of cloth 36 is left below line 38 for sewing the head to one end of the base 20. Pins, staples or other means may be used to attach the head 21 to the base 20. Like the base, the head 21 may also be formed of plastic, rubber or the like, which materials may be covered or uncovered as desired. Where plastic or rubber is used, the base and head may be joined in a single integral unit.

Three groups of strands of yarn or other material are used to create the realistic illusion of the illustrated Pekingese-type dog.

base 20 in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said base. length to drape over the sides of the base 2% and fringe out evently beyond the bottom 20b of the base 20. For

a base of the typical dimensions given earlier, first group 40 may contain approximately one-hundred-and-fif-teen strands of yarn about one foot in length. The first group 40 is sewn directly to the top of base 20 along the approximate center line of the top to form a line of stitching 41. This line of stitching 41 gives a neatly parted elfect to the dogs back when the strands of the first group 40 drape over the sides of the base as shown in FIGURE 11.

The second group of strands 42 is laid across the top of the head 21 and is sewn with a line of stitching 43, or otherwise secured, directly to the top of the head 21. The

strands of second group 42 drape down to simulate the dogs ears, and may effectively be made of a color which contrasts to the color of the strands of the first group 4%. v

If the second group 42 is laid across the head 21 in approximately the same direction as the first group 40, the dog 19 will appear to be looking straight ahead. If the second group 42 is laid at an angle to the first group 49, the dog 19 will appear to have its head 21 turned to one side or the other. The second group 42 may contain ap-- proximately fifty strands of yarn about one foot long for the dimensions hereinabove specified for my Pekingeselilre model dog.

A third and last group of strands 44 forms the face of the dog. In a preferred embodiment this third group of strands 44 is folded in half and bound together at the fold 45 as shown in FIG. 7. Then all but two of the strands in the third group 44 are tied together by a separate strand 46. Strand 46 will form the eye line for the dog. As shown in FIG. 10, strand 46 also serves to shape the face strands of third group 44 into a general hour-glass outline, which aids in creating the illusion of a Pekingese-type dog.

As shown in FIG. 6, the first and 1 largest group of strands 40 is laid across the top 20a of The strands are of sutlicient Third group 44, to again give specifications for my Pekingese-type dog, may contain about twenty strands of yarn which are approximately twenty-two inches long. Strand .6 is placed about two and one-half (2 /2) inches below fold 45. FIG. 9 shows how the third group 44 is attached to the base 20 and/or head 21 First and second groups of strands 40 and ,42 are not shown in FIG. 9, but it is to be understood that they have previously been secured in position as hereinabove explained. Third group 44 is draped over the top of head 21 with the fold 45 positioned at the nape 49 of the dogs neck 21a. Then strands 47 and 48 of third group 44, (the two strands that were not tied together by strand 46) are wound around the neck 21a of the animal 19 and tied to secure the third group 44 to the base 20 and head 21., As can be seen from this description, the eye line strand 45 may be added to the third group 44 now instead of earlier as indicated above. At this point the strands of the third group 44 hang straight over the head 21 as shown in FIG. 9. To obtain the desired draping effect over the front surface of base 20, the strands may be gathered together by a ribbon 51 and pulled tightly against the neck 21a of the animal, after which the ribbon istied in a large bow 52 at the nape 49 of the neck. Instead of gathering the strands of the third group 44 with a ribbon, the strands may be sewn or otherwise attached directly to the neck 21, after which a decorative ribbon may or may not be tied around the neck 21 as desired. First and third groups of strands 40 and 44 will usually be the same color, though the colors of all three groups of strands 40, 42 and 44 may be varied as desired.

As an alternative to the preferred embodiment of the third group in which one-half the required number of strands of twice the required length are used, the third group 44 may consist of the exact required number of strands of the exact required length. In terms of the typical dimensions given for the preferred embodiment, the alternative will be a group of about forty strands which are about eleven inches long. These forty strands maybe bound together at one end and then attachedto the base 20 and/ or head 21 in the same manner as the preferred embodiment. The length of the strands in the third group 44 and the distance of strand 46 from fold 45 or from the bound end of the strands of third group 44. were bound in the alternative form may be modified as desired. For animals in which tying is not a satisfactory.

method of attaching third group 44 to the base 20 and head 21,'the third group may be directly sewn to the base and/or head at the nape 49 of the animals neck 21a. Both the preferred and alternative embodiments of third group 44 may, of course, be sewn rather than tied to the base. A combination of sewing and tying may also be used.

When a rubber or plastic unit is used to form the base and head, sewing may be impractical. In such cases stapling or tying may be the preferred means of securing all three groups of strands to the unit. If, however, such rubber or plastic unitsare provided with covers as previ' ously described, the strands may be sewn to the covers.

Once the bow 52 is tied the dog 19. is substantially complete except for the minor task of adding facial features. Button eyes 53 may be sewn to head 21 at each 46a and 46b of eye line strand 46, as shown in FIG. 10. Sepa rate strands of yarn or thread of a color contrasting with the color of the strands of third group 44, and perhaps of animal which is to be constructed, except for general contour. The need for the elaborately cut patterns and complicated wire supports used in prior art bases which were required to closely resemble the animal to be constructed no longer exists because of my invention.

The present invention is not limited to the use of three groups of strands, to any particular type of base, or to the making of a Pekingese-type dog. The broad inventive concept discloses the construction of a model animal with a relatively simply designed base and groups of strands of yarn or other material; The kind of animal being constructed will determine the exact number and placement of the groups of strands.

It is therefore understood that my invention is not confined to the particular construction and arrangement of parts herein illustrated and described, but embraces all such modified forms thereof as come within the scope of the following claim.

I claim:

The method of making a model animal comprising the steps of:

(a) forming an elongated body having a base, a head and a neck,

(b) draping and securing a first group of strands of material across the top of the base in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the base,

(c) draping a second group of strands across the top of the head in a direction to simulate the animals ears,

(d) folding a third group of strands in half and binding said third group of strands together at the fold,

(e) draping the third group of strands over said second group of strands in approximately perpendicular relation thereto with the bound fold positioned at the nape of the animals neck whereby said third group of strands forms the animals face,

(f) tying two of the strands in the third group around the animals neck thereby securing the third group to the neck,

(g) tying a separate strand of material'around all but the said two tying strands of the third group at the eye level of the animal,

(h) attaching eyes to the head at the ends of the said separate strand, and (i) tying a length of material around the draped strands of the third group and the neck of the animal.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,579,945 12/51 Maupin 46-156 X FOREIGN PATENTS 612,995 8/26 France.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner. 

